Think of You
by LoveNCreativity
Summary: Two-shot for now. It's been ten years since Rory and Logan's break up and the failed proposal. What happens when they meet again and catch up on their lives?
1. Chapter 1

"Lawrence Montgomery the third. Stop. Right. Now." Panting from the sprint, I reached for his little arm as he howled with laughter, drool running down the corner of his mouth.

Wiggling uselessly against my grip, he giggled and yelled toward the sea where his dad and sister were playing. "Rosie! Mommy caught me! Save yourself!"

A high pitched squeal from the distance traveled back.

"Not funny, Mister," I scolded, trying hard to slap some sunscreen onto his white, plump chest while he squirmed left to right.

"Mommmy, can I play in the water now?" he wailed with those shiny blue marbles for eyes on me.

"What did we say about whining? You're a big boy now."

"Fineee, can I big-boy play in the water then?"

Shaking my head with a smile, I finished rubbing on the layers of protectant onto his delicate skin. "Okay, you're good to go."

"Yay!" He spun around, making a break for it, only to be stopped by my arms around his tummy.

"Nah uh, Lory. Give Mommy a kiss goodbye."

"Muah!" He smacked a wet one near the corner of my lips, causing me to laugh.

"Off you go." I nudged him on the bum gently and watched him take off, leaving tiny footprints on the white sand.

There. The hardest task of the day was done, until dinnertime that is, but for now they were their dad's problem. Walking across the beach toward the green grass, I hunted down the only unoccupied shade by a tree and built my nest consisting of a beach towel, tumbler of ice coffee, and copy of _The Da Vinci Code_. This was the start of our family's one week vacation in our newly acquired beach home. Everything was exactly in place. Sunscreen protected kids in cute bathing suits, check. Doting husband running after the little monsters, check. Sunglasses, caffeine and a good read, check.

Relaxed, I leaned against the bark, not minding the cool, prickly texture against my back, and opened the book. Just as I began to read, a scream made my head snap up, the sudden movement almost sending my sunglasses flying.

"Heads!" A boy about the age of eight ran toward me, waving his arms frantically in the air. Halting by the tree, he bent over with his hands on his knees and wheezed between breaths, "Sorry, Ma'am."

A tiny heat wave boiled in my head. Even three years after turning thirty, being called the big M word was still a fresh wound. "It's okay, sweetie." Spotting a fluorescent Frisbee by my towel, I handed it to him. "Here you go."

"What do you say?" A deep voice cut in before the boy could reply.

Looking up, I blinked two, three times to confirm my sight. Towering over me was a man, looking to be in his thirties, wearing a generous smile. With a pair of swim shorts, he fit right in with the beach-goers, but what caught my breath was not his toned body, but his face, his features. I could have sworn he looked exactly like-

"Rory?" His eyes widened briefly before they squinted to take a closer look.

Under his scrutiny, my hands reached to rip off the sunglasses on my stunned face. I didn't know why I did it, but in the movies it seemed like a courtesy to remove tinted eyewear when greeting someone you haven't met since…

"Wow, it really is you. I haven't seen you since-"

"Graduation." The word flew out too quickly to be held back, probably because it was the only thought - no, the only memory - running through my head at the time.

Closing my ajarred mouth, I gave, what I hoped was, a smile. "Hi... Logan." The name left my tongue in a tentative gesture, as if I needed to give the sound a test run. I haven't spoken that name for so long, a decade to be exact. Surprisingly, it still sounded so familiar.

"Hey, Rory." Recovering from a slightly paled complexion, he grinned in the way he always did, when he made suggestions for a restaurant, when he brought me coffee in the morning, when he beat me in our banters.

Darting my eyes at the little spectator beside him, I asked, "Is this your…?" Catching myself mid-question, my brain gawked over my rudeness.

"Oh," he chuckled, laying a hand on the boy's shoulder, "This is my nephew. Honor's kid. You know Honor." He gestured at me before letting his hand fall to a side.

Nodding wordlessly, I carefully arranged my face into a smile. So, this was what it was like running into a half-naked ex. My eyes grazed over the hills of muscles along his abdomen, fighting the urge to count them. I admit, in that instant, my own hunk of a husband was far from my mind.

Thankfully unaware of my shameless gaze, he said, "Wow, it's been a really long time." He ran his hand along the back of his head, bowing it slightly to glance at the ground.

Nodding again, I replied, "Yeah." Clearly, words longer than four letters were not my forte at the moment.

"So, how've you been?" Before I answered, he turned to his nephew. "Hey buddy, you wanna play with Matt for a bit while I talk to my friend?"

The boy looked me up and down, his brow raised. "Got it, Uncle Lo." Not-so-subtly, he winked at Logan before running off.

Logan snickered, watching the boy's back. "I swear, I don't know where he got that from."

For the first time in minutes, a genuine laugh escaped me. "I'm sure."

Sitting down cross legged beside me, he leaned over my shoulder to see the book clenched in my hand, his bare skin brushing lightly against my arm. "Reading at the beach, I see you haven't changed."

Subtly shifting a bit so our skin wouldn't touch again, I hugged the book to my stomach. "Things get hectic with the kids, so I steal any quiet time I get."

"Kids, huh?" He observed me, and in turn providing a close-up of his caramel eyes. "How many?"

"Two," I answered, my gaze locked with his, still in disbelief that Logan Huntzberger, _the_ Logan from my early twenties, who I could have married, who I'd cried over, was sitting beside me. Those times felt like a century ago, even though I did think of him every now and then, wondering what our life would have been like if I'd said 'yes'. Shaking my head faintly, I snapped out of my thoughts. "What about you? Any kids yet?"

"Nope, still single," he answered, pursing his lips, "I've been busy and haven't found someone to settle down with."

The way he said those words brought chills down my arms, lifting the hairs up one by one. _I_ was supposed to be that someone, but not anymore. Now, I was another man's someone, the thought brought nostalgia to my heart.

"What have you been up to?" My voice rose in pitch as I tried to change the subject.

Wetting his lips, he said, "I just moved here to head a digital media company, but I've basically been all over the country, firing up new departments and projects. When one's established, I move on to new territory."

Hearing about his life, envy tingled in my chest. "Sounds exciting."

"Yeah, I like the fast-paced life with a bit of risk, though it's not something you don't know about," he chuckled. "What about you? Are you an overseas correspondent yet, Ace?"

The nickname off his lips, designated just for me, just between us, took my breath away for the briefest second. I started blushing, in the only way a thirty something's woman could. Composing myself, I replied with as much pride as I could muster, "Not exactly. Unless overseas correspondent is code for stay-at-home mom."

"Really?" Both eyebrows shot up, creating faint lines on his forehead. "I guess kids really do eat up your time, huh?"

"Ha, yeah. You'll find out when it's your turn," I teased, letting a short laugh enter the silence. Exes talking about each other's families must be number one on the awkward list, especially when you were supposed to marry that ex. It's not like I'd left Logan at the altar or anything, but I knew I was the one to blame if anyone was pointing fingers for our failed relationship. But, we were so young, we had no idea what marriage was, at least that was what I told myself on those nights I wondered about him.

"Is your family here too?" His voice made me jump.

"Oh, yeah. They're playing in the water." I pointed in the direction, unable to spot the trio from afar.

He raised a hand over his eyes, scanning the waterline. "Do you live around here then?"

"Oh, no. We recently bought a vacation home here and decided to come every summer."

"Nice, sounds like a good life you've got there, Ace." His eyes twinkled, seemingly hiding a million emotions, while a faint smile resided on his lips.

At the look, a lump formed in my throat, taking me by surprise. I cleared my voice and smiled. "Yours doesn't sound bad neither."

He looked down and shook his head. "I have my fun, but it does get lonely sometimes."

"I envy you though. I've always have." My words caught his attention as he gave me a quizzical smirk. I continued, "You're not afraid to pursue your passions. It's amazing what you do, Logan. Really."

"Why, thank you." His smirk grew. "That's a good enough ego-booster for the day."

I laughed, shaking my head at his usual charm. "You haven't changed neither."

"No, I haven't." Playing in slow motion before me, his smile disappeared as his eyes bored into mine.

My face froze as I half-smiled, half-gaped, but I didn't care. I stared back, temporarily losing myself in the moment. Logan hadn't changed, and neither had I. The only thing that truly changed was time. Without the advances of time, we would be exactly where we were ten years ago. The fine lines in our smiles wouldn't exist, neither would the sad look in his eyes, because everything would have been different. In that moment, quickly, very quickly, I imagined myself saying 'yes' the day he got down on one knee. I gave myself that second to once again ponder what it would have been like.

* * *

**Thanks for reading and please leave a review! I would love to hear your feedback!**

While packing for my vacation, this scene suddenly came to me when I was listening to the song "Think of You" by A Fine Frenzy. I'm intending for it to be a two-shot, but I do see the potential of it becoming more so I might continue it in the future after I finish my other stories.

I was thinking, in Leap of Faith, Rory and Logan meet three years after they broke up, and they have a chance at making it work again even though things are complicated. However, in here, they didn't run into each other til ten years later and she already has two kids. I really wonder what happens in this situation when the one that got away comes back into your life. In the next update, you will find out more about their lives and takes on this situation.

Anyway, please let me know what you think! :)


	2. Chapter 2

"So Cinderella joyfully went with them, and lived happily ever after with her Prince," I read out loud for the third time that night.

"Again! Again!" Rosie squealed, clapping her hands together.

"I'll be the Prince this time!" Lory snatched the book and flipped it to the first page before placing it on my lap.

"Oh no, look at the time." I grabbed the Little Mermaid clock from the nightstand, waving it in their faces. "It's time for bed."

"Aw no, Mommy! One more time, pleeeease." The boy locked his fingers, pressing his palms tightly together, and gazed at me through curled lashes.

"No, Lory. You already said that half an hour ago."

Rosie giggled at the apparently funny sentence, climbing out of the covers toward me. "Mommy, again."

"Again! Again!" Lory chanted, jumping up and down on his twin sized bed while pulling Rosie by the hands.

I pried the two little bodies apart as their loud squeals filled the room. "That's it you two, don't make me get Daddy."

"Daddy would let us play some more." The boy crossed his arms, grinning mischievously.

"Says who?"

Lory's head snapped towards the sound as his grin spread from ear to ear. "Daddy!" Running to the bedpost, he jumped right into his dad's arms.

"Okay, little fellow. Mommy's right, it's bedtime." Lawrence lifted his son with a gentle grunt and tucked him into the duvet. Scampering across the sheets, Rosie swung her arms around her dad's neck, giggling. "And now your turn." He wiggled a brow and clamped the tiny body between his arm and the side of his body, carrying her to the other twin sized bed a few feet away.

As soon as her head hit the pillow, the girl demanded through pouted lips, "Mommy, kiss goodnight!"

I laughed, walking over to sit on her pink sheets. Smoothing her long brown hair, I glanced at Lawrence who was sitting on the other side and, at the same time, we leaned down to peck the opposite sides of Rosie's cheeks, creating a burst of giggles from the toddler. Then, following the steps in our nightly ritual, Lawrence and I moved onto the boy tucked tightly in blue for his goodnight kiss.

After the children quieted down, we left for the door, carefully avoiding the numerous toys scattered on the floor. Standing at the doorway with the light switch on my fingertip, I observed my two little angels as they watched me with slow grins. "Goodnight, sweeties."

"Night, Mommy and Daddy." The soft voices like chimes came in unison.

Smiling, I watched as the lights dimmed until the only glow was a soft orange coming from their bedsides. And so their first night at the beach house began.

❤ Think of You ❤

In the hallway, Lawrence pulled me into him until we were entangled in a firm hug. He bowed his head while I tilted mine back to accommodate his tall stature. With those soft, hazel-blue eyes on me, the ones I fell in love with years ago in Paris, he leaned down for a quick kiss.

"I've some work to finish. I'll see you in a bit, 'kay?"

Even though his voice was a gentle whisper, I couldn't help but feel the bit of annoyance forming in my stomach. Over the years that we'd been married, he was spending more and more time shut in his home office after work, while the kids and I roamed the rest of the house. I frowned, remembering how he promised to take some time off this week. "It's our first night here, can't you work tomorrow?"

"I'm sorry, babe, they're waiting for me to send the files tonight." Faint wrinkles formed between his brows as he sighed.

Exhaling deeply, I pulled away. "Okay, go ahead."

He tugged playfully at my arm, willing our eyes to meet. "C'mon. How about I treat us to a romantic dinner tomorrow night? Just you and me?"

Rolling my eyes, the corners of my lips betrayed my frustration and curled. "What about the kids?"

"We'll find a babysitter." As my mouth opened to warn about the creepers disguised as babysitters, he added, "A nice, young girl, preferably a bookworm, who's had tons of babysitting experience on her resume and excellent references."

I chuckled, loosening my retaliation against his hold. "And only if she has _The Catcher in the Rye_ listed as her favorite book."

"I thought you were adamant about _Emma_ being your favorite book?"

"It comes and goes according to the day." I shrugged with my lips playing at a smile.

"Oui, petite chaton." He pinched my nose lightly between his fingers. "Whatever you want." Grabbing my waist, he planted a wet, long peck at the corner of my mouth, making me squirm and giggle.

Pushing him away, I laughed, "Stop pretending to be French."

"How else would I have won your heart?" He cocked an eyebrow, smiling wickedly with a dark strand of hair falling into his eyes.

"You got me there, 'cause it certainly wasn't your horrible taste in movies." I placed my hands on his arm and nudged him down the hall, in the direction of his office. "Go get your work done before I change my mind."

Grabbing the doorknob, he slipped into the room, saying, "See you soon."

Watching the door shut, I shook my head as my smile slowly ceased. His 'soon' always meant a couple hours, sometimes even the entire day, or most of the night. I should have known marrying a lawyer meant a relationship with his answering machine, or in this case the wooden rings on that very door. Sighing quietly, I left, hoping to ease my mood with a nice, warm shower.

Entering the bathroom connected to the master suite, I was once again in awe of the beautiful décor of white marble and dark wood. Although beautiful, the place was a cold front, chilling me to the bones. It was a picture right out of a magazine and, frankly, that was where I felt it belonged, not in a home. I appreciated that Lawrence worked hard to bring our family such luxuries, but sometimes I yearned for tacky tie-dyed bath mats, and duckling-covered shower curtains. I don't know why, but seeing the flawlessly folded towels on the counter, with Lawrence and I's initials sewn in cursive letters, I remembered Logan, how carefree his smile looked today by the beach, how exciting and limitless his life sounded. I had tried so badly to prevent my thoughts from going there, but feeling the icy tiles on the balls of my feet, I couldn't help but wonder harmlessly where I would be if I'd married him instead. What kind of flooring would I be standing upon? What kind of towels would we have picked?

Suddenly wanting to leave the house, yearning for the cool, yet warm summer air, I changed into a light sundress and headed out.

❤ Think of You ❤

The beach was a mysterious, puzzling place; it was like nature's Jekyll and Hyde. During the day, while the sun was up and the place was lit, mountains of people littered its white sand, some innocently enjoying the weather, while some not-so-innocently peeping on the bikini-clad bodies lying around. Surely, many sins were committed on its grounds under the scorching sun. Where else would the saying of summer flings have come from? And then, there was the night, when the moon took over and governed a silver, glistering land. The water was no longer liquid, but a flat sheet of dark steel, only broken by regular intervals of crushing waves. The temperature dropped and the people scattered, leaving the sand cool to touch and spaces amongst spaces to sit.

However, I didn't take my place on the beach, but instead in a park bench that was just along its edge by a running track. There, I took in my surroundings. The millions of stars above, diamonds against a darkening sky. The generous wind clawing through my hair, whipping it bent and frizzy. The slashing and crumbling of waves, a soothing melody against my awaiting ears. And finally, the lone street lamp over my head, entertaining dancing insects of numerous species. Closing my eyes, I leaned back and just listened.

The only human constructed sound, mixing with nature, were light footsteps slapping on the cement as a jogger closed in.

"Ace?"

A voice that could only belong to one person made my eyes flicker open. My vision was blurry and it took a second or two to adjust and focus on the man before me.

"Logan," I spat out in surprise. He was dressed all in white with a V-neck shirt and towel around his neck.

Panting faintly, he dragged the towel across his forehead, and took a seat beside me. "Nice running into you again."

Suddenly fidgety, I gathered the hem of my sundress to a side and scooted until we were some distance apart. "Yeah, it's like a movie or something," I chuckled, which had apparently become a nervous habit of mine.

"How come you're here alone?" His brows furrowed as concern crossed his face.

"Oh…" I bit my lip, thinking of Lawrence and his closed door. "The kids are tucked in and my husband's working, so I thought I'd get some air."

"Working? At this hour?" He looked at me incredulously.

"Ha, yeah. He basically works any hour." Realizing my tone might have sounded bitter, I added, "He's just really busy with so many clients. He's a lawyer."

Nodding, he raised an eyebrow. "Does this husband have a name?"

A chuckle escaped as I turned to him. "Sorry, I forgot to mention, his name's Lawrence."

"Ah, a lawyer named Lawrence, how fitting." Eyes twinkling, he gave a wide grin, the kind that used to stop my heart and make it go wonky. I didn't know what to make of it, but as if I was twenty again, my heart responded in the exact same way.

Catching my foolish smile, I cleared my throat. "So, you always run at night?"

"Nah, just when there's a lot on my mind."

I could have sworn the look he gave me was suggestive, like he was letting me in on a secret, like it had something to do with me, though I told myself it couldn't be.

Before I could ask what was troubling him, he said, "What about you? Do you often leave the house at night to sit alone?"

Looking away, I examined the rocks by my feet. "Sometimes. When I've put the kids to sleep, their lunches are packed and dishes are cleaned, I finally have time to myself. I usually read, but when the weather's nice like this, I like to go out and just sit around." Glancing at him, I gave a sluggish smile. "I know, it all sounds terribly boring."

He shook his head, watching me. "No, it's just I never pictured you as a stay-at-home mom. You've always been so career-driven, I mean, I thought that's why…" he paused, as if looking for the right word, and then softly found it, "…why we didn't work out."

I see he opted for a euphemism for the plain and simple 'we screwed up', I rejected his proposal, he walked away.

Putting on a small smile, I said, "Yeah, when I was younger, all I would dream of was traveling the world, an exciting career and all that. And I lived it for a while. I followed the Obama campaign all over the country and then took a two year reporter position in Paris. It was really surreal, learning some French and being in a foreign country."

"Wow, Paris. You couldn't say 'hi' to William and Harry, but that's still pretty amazing."

A giggle came out as I faced him, tugging my flying hair behind my ear. I couldn't believe he remembered the William and Harry thing, the silly ramblings of my twenties. "You remember," I breathed.

Locking with my gaze, he simply stated, "Of course."

We stared at each other for a bit, before I hastily broke away. Without knowing what to say, I watched the shadows of the moving waves in the distance, while being somehow calm yet jittery at the same time. Talking to Logan after ten years was oddly comfortable and familiar. I felt like I could tell him anything, though I didn't know if I should. Remembering the moment he proposed, and when he walked away at my graduation, I thought about the day I was proposed to a second time. Back then, I'd picture myself telling Logan about it. Obviously, it was weird that I wanted to tell an ex about the day my husband proposed, but it felt like the whole thing was strangely connected to him in a way.

Against my better judgement, I started, "I met Lawrence in Paris when he was finishing up law school. Then, when we both moved back, he proposed." Seeing Logan's unfazed expression, with his eyes intently on mine, I continued, "The thing is, the minute he asked the question, you were all I could think about. You scared the hell out of me, Logan."

His gaze was soft and tender when he asked, "What do you mean?"

"It had probably been five years since I last saw you, but when Lawrence proposed, I felt like I was back in my grandparent's house at that party," I said, keeping the smallest smile on my lips, "And remembering us scared me to death. I said 'yes' to him so quickly, without even time to really think, because I was so scared that he would leave just like that." I shook my head, almost laughing at myself, though a lump was growing in the back of my throat. "Honestly, breaking up with you was the most horrible memory of my life."

He didn't reply, nor did I expect him to. The silence spoke for both of us, sort of heartbreaking and undeniably raw.

Fixating on the gravel, I continued, "The second time around, I automatically thought it was all or nothing, so I gave it my all. Everything went accordingly, we got married and then had Lory and Rosie one year apart. When Rosie turned three in February, I decided to take some time off work and focus on the kids. I wanted to spend time with them and embrace being a mom. So, yeah, here I am." I shrugged and threw a smile, thinking of the little angels sleeping soundly at that instant.

Logan stared at the ground, before eventually lifting his head to meet my gaze. Nodding with a slow curl of his lips, he finally said, "I'm happy for you, Ace. I mean it. You're a good mom."

"Thanks," I replied in a whisper, feeling my heart clench at his words. Here we were, ten years later and all grown up, wishing each other happiness.

He propped his elbows on the back of the bench, and leaned backward with his eyes briefly closed, hair catching the wind. Feeling the warm breeze past us, I relaxed and relished the feeling against my skin, joining Logan in the comfortable silence.

Opening my eyes, I asked the question I'd thought about a hundred times, although in an almost playful tone, "Do you think we would have made it? If we had gotten married?"

Shifting from the unmoving figure, he ran his fingers through his hair, letting out a faint chuckle. "We were kids then, fresh out of college. What did we know about marriage?"

Swallowing the moisture in my throat, I examined him, wanting to call him out on his lie. But, knowing it would accomplish nothing, instead, I stated, "We did love each other though."

He agreed, "Yeah, we did. No doubt about it."

I exhaled a deep breath, shaking my head. "We were so carefree back then, you know? No baggage. I mean every problem seemed huge at the time, graduating, finding a job, your dad's company and all, but looking back, it's all so…simple."

"Yeah," he laughed wistfully, as if remembering a particular moment. "But things aren't simple anymore, huh?"

"Nope…" My eyes fell on his, studying the shade of brown that I'd known so well. "Once you're a parent, everything changes. It's like I'm living for those kids. I would do anything for them to be happy."

"Well, you're doing a good job."

"Thanks." I smiled. "But, can I tell you a secret?"

"What is it?" He turned until we faced each other, and scooted a bit closer.

This time, I didn't move away. It felt like those nights when we'd stay in bed, indulging in our secrets while fighting sleep. Now, I contented myself with simply sitting by him and spilled, "Sometimes, I wish I could do something for myself. I would imagine what it's like being a successful reporter traveling in South America or something. It's stupid."

"It's not stupid," he quickly corrected, "You were born to be a reporter, Ace. You were born to write and you _should_ be doing what you love."

"I'll go back to work when the kids are a bit older. I love spending time with them too. It's a different kind of passion, different kind of love."

Nodding, he said, "I don't have kids, but I know from watching Honor with Adrian and Matt."

Seeing the fondness in his eyes at the mention of his nephews, I asked, "Do you think you'll ever get married then, you know, someday?"

"I don't know…" He scratched his chin and squinted his eyes, pretending to be deep in thought, all while smirking at the same time. "I've been with so many women…"

Rolling my eyes, I smirked back. "Yeah, I remember."

Straightening himself, he continued more seriously, "But, only one has ever made me want to spend the rest of my life with her. I don't know if I'll ever meet that again."

Taken aback by his words, my mouth might have dropped open. "Oh." The sound escaped me, while for some reason I felt like I was punched in the gut, I felt like I wanted to cry.

Contrasting my response, he gave a sheepish grin. "But who knows, maybe someday."

His nonchalance didn't do anything to ease my pain, if not, actually worsening it. "Yeah," I gestured a hand, trying to regain composure, "I'm sure you'll meet the right person."

With that, I turned away to face forward and for the next few minutes, we sat in silence while a million thoughts crossed my mind. Over the past years, every now and then, I would wonder about Logan, but now after talking to him, I felt even more disturbed. Maybe it was the way he looked at me, like we'd known each other for decades, yet also like it was for the first time. Or maybe it was those words he said, so sweet and touching, yet so painful that, if I didn't know better, I would suspect he said them just to taunt me. However, I knew no matter how much it ached for me to think about 'what if's, it must hurt him more, because it didn't matter whether you were over someone or not, experiencing a rejected proposal stayed with you like a tear to your ego.

Watching the last streaks of navy blue disappear above us, behind walls of black, I remembered my husband and kids in our immaculate beach home, complete with white picket fences. Checking my watch, I saw that it was past ten.

"I should get going," I stated, darting my eyes at him, almost shy.

Tilting his head my way, a slow smile crossed his face. "Okay," he said softly, "It was really nice seeing you again, Ace"

Letting his gentle tone melt away at my heart, I nodded. "You too. I feel…comfortable and myself with you." Like tie-dyed mats and duckling-covered curtains.

"Me too. You know you can always tell me anything, no matter what happened between us." Straightening his back, he added, "We'll keep in touch."

"Yeah, yeah. Of course," I stuttered and started fumbling in my purse for a pen and paper. "Um, here's my email. You can reach me there 'cause with the kids there's not much time for phone calls, but emails are always good since I can check them anytime." Scribbling my email address and number, I passed the paper to him. "I gave you my number too, just in case." I pointed to the sheet, and started blushing for the second time that day. If it wasn't because of the sweet smile on Logan's face as he accepted my paper, I would have been embarrassed of my embarrassment.

"Okay." He folded the note neatly. "Emails sound good. I won't mind composing you a letter or two."

A laugh came out as I nervously teased, "Do write soon so I don't feel like an idiot giving you my email and not getting a reply."

"Expect one tomorrow night," he promised with his eyes locked on mine.

"I'm holding you to it." I smiled, briefly getting lost in his gaze.

Perhaps it was a tad longer than 'briefly', since he said, "You needed to go?"

I jumped up from the seat. "Oh right, yeah." Smoothing my dress, I gave a sheepish grin. "I'll see you around."

"See you around, Ace." He got up beside me. "Take care and remember to be happy. If Lawrence ever gives you trouble, you know where to find me." He held up the note and smirked.

Seeing the boyish grin, and hearing the care concealed in his voice, I teared up a bit. At the boy I'd loved, the man whose heart I'd broken. Giving one last smile, I told myself to turn and walk away.

With each step on the concrete, I felt his eyes on my back, which made it that much harder to continue on. As I walked, my mind paid tribute to our times together, as memories evaded one at a time until they jumbled into a string of what used to be. Logan and I meeting outside my dorm, dancing at my grandparent's wedding renewal, kissing on the roof under twinkling lights and, finally, letting each other go.

He walked away that day and didn't look back, while I waited for years for a single call. Even though he changed his number, I'd clung onto mine, just to fool myself that one day my phone would ring and his name would appear on the screen. We would cry and tell each other we were sorry, he would appear at my door with flowers, and I would even pretend to debate about taking him back, before jumping into his arms and telling him how much I missed him. How much I loved him. How I never stopped.

But, he never called.

The memories cut through me fiercely, leaving gashes so raw as if they were left not a decade, but days ago. At the unexpected moisture building in my eyes, I bit down on my lip, hard. Before I stopped to think, I halted in my tracks and spun around only to face Logan through a curtain of tears. Standing many feet away, I raised my voice above the loud ocean waves, demanding, "Why didn't you call?"

He stood there, with his hands in his pockets, wearing a frown. "What?"

Sucking in my breath, I said, "Why didn't you wait for me, Logan? I would have been ready one, two years later and I waited to tell you that, for you to _call_ so I could tell you that."

My heart almost beat out of my body as I awaited his reply, like all those years, I waited for his single word. The throbbing in my chest sank into my stomach when Logan dropped his gaze to the ground. He didn't reply.

With frustration creeping into my veins, I shook my head. I couldn't look at him anymore. It didn't matter anyway because it was all in the past. No matter what his answer was, it was too late now. Allowing myself one last look, I blinked away the moisture in my eyes and turned to leave.

"Ace…" The soft voice stilled me, pulling me in against my will. I stayed with my back to him, holding onto the air leaving my lungs until I was suffocating in the stillness.

He said, "Believe me, I wish I did. Every time I see a girl sitting at a coffee shop, every time 'The Office' comes on, every freaking time I pass a library, I want to beat myself up for letting you go. Seeing you this afternoon, I was so happy. I thought God was giving me a chance and that maybe I deserved to have another shot with you, but now I know I've missed it..."

My chest rose up and down erratically, the pain shooting through my arms and into my fingertips. I balled my fist in hopes of lessening the sting, in hopes of stopping the tears rolling in my eyes. I couldn't break down. I was so much stronger now - no longer the naive girl who believed in him. Believed in us.

Hearing his faint footsteps approach me, it became almost impossible to stay strong. It was as if I had time traveled back ten years, back to the excruciating pain he left when he walked away. Squeezing my eyes shut, a slight tremble traveled through me, triggering a treacherous tear to sneak down my face.

Standing there without moving a muscle, I heard him say, "I know it's too late."

* * *

**Thanks for reading. I would love to hear your feedback. **

I apologize for the sadness before the holidays, but I really enjoyed writing their story here. Seeing your reviews, I think many like to read post-grad fics so it got me thinking of this plot and many bits and pieces of the story came to me. I can see the story being continued into a multi-fic as the situation is very different from Leap of Faith and I have lots to work with.

For now, I'm marking this as complete because I love seeing the little "c" by my story lol. It makes me feel accomplished. But, do follow the story because I will most likely be continuing it in the future. Please let me know what you think, and as the whole story is not plotted out in my head yet, although I have a general idea, your thoughts and opinions will definitely give me ideas.

This is my last post of the year, so Happy Holidays everyone and Happy New Year! I'll see you all with new chapters for Leap of Faith in 2014! My new years resolution will be finishing that story. :P

And of course, thanks for the reviews and follows!


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